All for You
by SachiNyoko
Summary: Fruits Basket x Sailor Moon :AU: :Akito x Usagi x Kyou: I ask you not to hate me. Remember, it was all for you. Always. :Completed:
1. Chapter 1

**Created: February 2, 2007**

**All for You**

_By SachiNyoko_

**xXx**

_As you get older, feelings change. I learned that as a little girl. I learned it all over again with my first boyfriend. Year after year, the simple, bitter truth of it haunts me. Sometimes it is a wild lust that slowly dies, and sometimes it's something only one of two people feels. Sometimes it is just never there at all, but you keep pretending because everyone else is expecting it._

_When I wake up in the middle of the night, in cold sweat, I know this to be hard, bitter fact. But I also know it can change, and that's why I've done this one selfish thing. _

**xXx**

Kyou Sohma entered into the revolving door that placed him on the first floor of his multibillionaire cousin's main office building, ignoring the expensive and tasteful décor that surrounded him on all sides. He joined the flock toward the elevators, every step precise and full of purpose. The twenty four year old was still relatively fresh meat in the business world, but nonetheless a force to be reckoned with.

The other occupants of the elevator pressed the various buttons to the floors they headed for while Kyou grumbled under his breath, finally pushing in the button intended for the top level. The action earned several curious stares from the workers pressed in close all around him. He ignored them, tugging his tie uncomfortably and going over the upcoming conversation in his mind.

The ride took longer than he anticipated, the on and off stops amid the forty stories nearly driving him to tear his orange hued hair out. Still, he reached the top floor, the only passenger remaining on the elevator, and stepped into the wide expanse of white marble flooring. A large, colorful mural hung along the wall that was not consisted solely of windows, probably purchased for its expense more than its artistic expression.

Kyou took the distance between the elevator and the secretary's desk in long strides. The petite woman seated behind the polished oak furniture finally took notice of his presence and her dark violet eyes flickered instantly with recognition. Shiny locks of ebony bangs fell just short of inhibiting her vision, the rest of the tresses pulled back into a functional ponytail.

"Sohma-san, good morning; Akito-sama has been waiting for you." At the slight grimace that flickered across his face, she smiled sweetly and added, "Don't worry, you're right on time."

She rose from her seat, the black skirt suit hugging her slight curves perfectly, and led him to the double doors on the left. Before entering, she rapped lightly with her knuckles, and then stuck her head in to say, "Sohma-san is here."

"Thank you, Hotaru. Send him in." The deep, even voice that drifted through the opening was barely familiar to Kyou. Even though they were cousins, he had only met his older relation on a few sparse occasions at a much younger age. He had gotten into the business world a few years younger than Kyou was now, and worked his way up from the very bottom to owning the successful companies he did today.

The secretary, Hotaru, cleared her throat softly. She had been holding the door open for him during the brief reverie, and he passed by her without the slightest tinge of embarrassment. His amber, almost red eyes met his cousin's dark pair across the room, just as the door clicked softly behind him.

"Kyou Sohma, it is nice to see you again," Akito Sohma stood from his high backed office chair and bowed his head shortly in greeting. When Kyou reached the other side of the desk, he bowed in the traditional manner before taking the seat across from the powerful business mogul. "Let's get straight to business, shall we?"

"Of course. This new product is what consumers have been waiting on for a long time," Kyou paused in his pitch, his eyes focused on Akito's reproachful glance that had stopped him dead, while the older man frowned at him.

"I know all about the product. I looked at the designs yesterday when they faxed them over. I am fully aware of its capabilities, usefulness, and potential. I didn't call you here for a sales pitch." His lithe, pale fingers pushed the design papers across the desk for emphasis, but Kyou only glanced at them.

"Then, with all due respect sir, what exactly am I here for?" The two found themselves interrupted before Akito could even think to respond. The rich mahogany doors banged open with zealousness, bringing both males' attention to the new party in the room.

Kyou, though hit on and sought after by plenty of women after being promoted to a CEO, was sure he had never seen any woman quite like the one that strode into the room now. She flicked a strand of golden hair from her eyes, shockingly deep blue, as she walked across the office unabashedly, her strapped white heels clicking against the marble.

Wondering what form of being would simply walk into the richest man in Japan's office with such intrusiveness, he held his tongue and observed her as she strode around the desk, right up to an amused Akito. As though just realizing his presence, her eyes flickered to his and she smiled almost wickedly. "Usagi, meet my cousin, Kyou Sohma."

"Oh, you mean the most eligible bachelor in all of Tokyo?" The newly identified Usagi quipped, turning her twinkling eyes back to the dark haired man in front of her. "I was aware."

"I see. What brings you here, then, Bunny?" Akito, known for somewhat of a short temper, had to have known this girl well, Kyou reasoned. She settled on the edge of his desk, the skirt of her modest-length dress riding up to show off legs that must have made up for nine tenths of her short person.

"Well there's only one reason I interrupt your very important meetings." Usagi ended the statement in a teasing, mildly condescending tone and fluttered her lengthy eyelashes. "I need a dress for your important event tonight. You know the one, with all those stuck up, nasal voiced businessmen and their carbon copy wives."

She threw Kyou a grin over her shoulder, "No offense."

"None taken," he replied automatically, more concentrated on trying to hold her gaze for a few seconds. It failed desperately as Akito withdrew his wallet and shuffled through it for a moment. Without waiting, she reached over and plucked the wad of cash out, offering a peck on the lips in return.

"Nice meeting you, Kyou." Usagi threw a casual wave over her shoulder and walked out, slamming the mahogany doors closed behind her. Kyou stared after her, thrown off kilter in the slightest, but also mildly disgusted as two words flashed through his mind. _Gold digger._

"I apologize for the interruption. I brought you here to make sure you could pull this promotion off. I've done a bit of research on you since yesterday, cousin, and your resume is quite impressive." Akito smiled coyly, seated poised in his chair as though nothing out of the ordinary had just taken place.

"Thank you," The twenty four year old shifted in his seat, trying to level his words with calm and not show his growing agitation. "So you are agreeing to sponsor our product."

"Not so fast. I have confidence in you but it never hurts to have a helping hand, hmm?" With no change in expression, Akito retracted another file from his left and tossed it into Kyou's plain sight. Several papers slid out of the manila folder and on the top a picture that made Kyou's stomach clench. "Your other dear cousin has promised half commission to put his name on the product."

"With all due respect--"

"It is not a question." Akito appeared all degrees of serious as he leaned back in his leather office chair and kept his dark eyes fixed solely on Kyou. "It's a condition. You accept Yuki Sohma in as your partner and get our endorsements or you take neither and move your product to another company. That's the deal."

The amber-eyed youth tugged his tie again subconsciously, the garment seeming to choke him even more as he glared down at the image of the silvery haired cousin he always hated; his rival, easily as successful as himself by any standards. Instinct egged him into thinking he could pull the deal and push Akito into a corner, get what he really wanted and kick Yuki to the curb.

Still, Kyou couldn't take that risk. So he gritted his teeth, "Very well. We'll redraw the contracts and have them ready for signing tomorrow." He rose to his feet, Akito doing the same. They shook hands across the desk, Kyou's grip a bit stronger than he anticipated, but it only made the older male's feral smile widen.

"Pleasure doing business, Kyou."

**xXx**

Kyou Sohma was not a happy camper, and anyone in the surrounding vicinity could easily tell. He slammed the shot glass against the table and chased the Jagermeister down with an energy drink. Only his third Jager bomb, his high liquor tolerance prevented even a slight buzz as of yet, and his eyes caught the hands on his watch.

_Late again_, his mind chided. The bartender asked him whether he wanted another shot or not but he ignored him, tapping his fingers lightly on the bar as he thought. _It won't look good if I don't show. Damn it all to hell._

Kyou pulled some money from his wallet and threw it on the bar before he stood, figuring at least he'd get the wear out of his new Armani suit that he was wasting on the drunkards in this random pub. As he walked out to his car, he haphazardly knotted his tie and checked his phone. Skimming through the voicemails, he only found one message of consequence to him.

"_Sohma-san, this is Hotaru, Akito-sama's secretary._ _We've just received the_ _new drafts of the paperwork and we'd like to have you back tomorrow morning to meet with Akito-sama and Yuki-san to sign it all. Please be here by 10 am._"

_Well, they certainly aren't concerned about my time_, Kyou mentally complained as he shut the flip phone and tossed it in the console. Despite the mild frustration he was pleased that the deal worked out so easily, even if Yuki had to be involved. _Even in a three way split we'll all be much richer, and hopefully this product will push me far enough to take Kyon Corps out on its own. _

The orange haired male pulled in to the second branch of Sohma Inc., where the night's event was planned to take place. He bypassed the long line of stretch limos that was the norm for one of Akito's events by being a solid half hour late, and only had to wait behind a few stragglers before he was pulling up to the valet. As it were, the car right behind his was Akito himself, fashionably late for his own party no doubt.

Due to the swarm of cameras and paparazzi in his older cousin's general direction, Kyou found he was at liberty to take his time heading into the party for no one had noticed his arrival at all. From his peripheral vision he caught Akito absorbing the media attention, but he offered his hand back into the open car door, a slender hand slipped into his, and the blonde beauty rose to her dark haired companion's side with a dazzling smile for the adamantly flashing cameras.

They fit together in an interesting way, complete opposites of each other, Kyou noted. His thoughts strayed as her twinkling sapphire eyes found his over the heads of many a reporter. A mischievous smile brought the corners of her lips and she whispered into Akito's ear. The dark eyes of his cousin flickered over him and he also smiled with amusement, nodding his head to her. She released his arm and slipped off while he distracted the reporters with his next statement.

Kyou shrugged it off, about to cross the threshold to the night of gallantry and fake politeness that awaited him, when a hand circled his forearm and pulled him gently to the side. He turned; ready to give someone a piece of his mind when he saw the blonde pixie still beaming up at him in amusement. Her silver, glittered dress fitted her well and sparkled in synch with every camera flash that went off only a few feet away.

"Good evening, Tokyo's most eligible bachelor. Sorry to hold you up, but Akito and I agreed your tie looks ridiculous." Usagi grinned as he glanced down at his lopsided tie. She reached out and untied the thing all together, starting over from scratch, biting on her bottom lip to hold in her laughter. In less than a minute she had tugged the tie into place. "There, now you look presentable."

"Yeah, thanks," Kyou grumbled as he stepped back, giving ample space between the two of them. He walked off, back toward the party like he'd originally planned without so much as a parting gesture, leaving the blue eyed bunny to watch after him, smiling, until Akito appeared and took her arm.

Kyou, meanwhile, spotted his most hated rival, soon to be business partner, across the room chattering quite amicably with the head of Akito's rival company. The silver haired male turned, as though sensing the look of hatred that rested upon him, and offered a mirthless smile to his cousin. Kyou turned away, pretended to be amused with the champagne the waitress was offering him. It wasn't long before Akito singled him out.

"Kyou, I've been looking for you. What do you say we go meet with Yuki and discuss the new terms on the contract? It'll smooth things over for tomorrow." As he met the dark eyes of his cousin, crinkled in slight amusement, Kyou felt the sudden desire to break off the deal. But that was a rash decision, probably his earlier Jagermeister kicking in, and he only shook his head silently.

"No business tonight." As light laughter tickled his ears, his amber eyes found the source quickly. Usagi stood with the gathered group of women, probably the businessmen's wives she'd complained about earlier that morning, but the middle aged women were simply ravishing her, and she didn't appear to hate the attention.

"It seems my Bunny has taken a liking to you." Akito drew his attention once more, the glint in his eyes unnerving as he watched the same scene. Kyou tugged at his tie, but said nothing, not failing to notice the emphasis he interjected on that 'my,' and Akito quickly elaborated, "She usually doesn't joke around with anyone she's just met."

"Is that so?" Kyou, slightly nervous, tugged at his tie again and averted his eyes to the still bubbling champagne in his other hand. Akito laughed, finding something in the situation amusing, and nodded his head to the question. His mirth vanished promptly as he continued.

"I consider you a smart man, Kyou. Certainly not an idiot with all the accomplishments you've already made. But sometimes even smart men do stupid things." Kyou dropped the glass of champagne on a passing tray and wiped his hand on the leg of his Armani suit, avoiding all eye contact with Akito. The conversation was unnerving him. "My point, cousin, is that you should keep your hands off."

Akito was long gone before Kyou could even sputter a response to the ludicrous accusation, engaging none other than Yuki Sohma in charming conversation, knowing full well that he would never approach the two of them. Instead, the ruffled twenty four year old left the party, disgruntled and desiring to be anywhere where his new business partners weren't.


	2. Chapter 2

**Created: February 4, 2007**

**xXx**

_The things I gave up, the things I've done for you I will never regret. I loved you more than anything, and I would do it all again a million times over. My life might have been a lie, but I always did what was necessary. There's always that grim satisfaction in knowing what you're capable of._

_I sometimes wonder how you felt when I would show up. What did you think of me? Were you proud of me even if I was despicable? Were you ever grateful or did you just resent me for what I had or hate me for taking pity? Because, I always did take pity, even though I know it was the thing you hated the most._

**xXx**

Usagi Tsukino dropped her glittered clutch on the table near the door, simultaneously slipping her feet from her shoes. The difference in height proved dramatic without the four inch heels pushing her up, and became more apparent as Akito walked past her, pulling his tie loose. The blonde watched him as he retreated toward the bedroom, pulling gently on the ends of her recently cut hair that still fell down her back.

Akito suddenly turned, his tie only half undone, and Usagi walked over to him with a smile, undoing the rest of his tie for him. "You're as bad as your cousin, Aki. Nice to know you two have something in common."

The amusement on her face didn't last long; she instantly felt Akito's hand clench around her forearm, hard. He pulled her in close to him, thin lips brushing gently against her ear as he spoke, "You seem awfully inclined to talk about him, lately, don't you Bunny?"

His voice came out soft as ever, almost a purr, but the dark undertone was impossible to miss and jolted a wave of fear all through her body. Still, she regained as much composure as possible, and reached her free hand up to rest against his cheek. "It's only because he's your new partner, Aki. He's so uptight it amuses me, surely you wouldn't begrudge me a little fun?"

"No, I guess I wouldn't." Usagi let go of the breath she'd been holding as Akito released her and turned away, back on his original path to their room. The blonde veered toward the kitchen, her stomach protesting its few morsels at the party for dinner. After surveying the many overly expensive treats in the fridge, she settled on a simple bagel and leaned against the counter as she waited on the toaster. Her cerulean eyes caught her distorted reflection in the stainless steel refrigerator door.

As her dress glittered against the fluorescent lights, she reached in the side of the dress and pulled out the price tag, still neatly attached. Carefully she padded into the bedroom and toward the closet, hearing the expected sound of rushing water from the adjoining bathroom. It took all of two minutes to slip out of the overpriced dress and into a humbler set of pajamas. Usagi paused to make sure the shower had not stopped before she dug the bag from behind the clothes rack and slipped the dress back into it.

Quieter than a mouse, she returned to the entrance hall and tucked the bag in the coat closet before returning to the kitchen just as her bagel popped up. While she smeared cream cheese over both halves, Akito joined her clad in only his towel, drying his hair with a second. The blonde caught sight of him and flushed, but continued with her snack as though she hadn't noticed. Akito dropped the second towel on the counter and crept up behind her, sliding his arms around her slender waist.

"Bunny, you're blushing." Usagi continued to ignore him as she took a bite from her bagel. "That looks good. Can I have a bite?"

"Of course," the blue eyed woman conceded. Akito rested his chin on her shoulder and gave her a mischievous grin. Usagi only rolled her eyes at him and brought the bagel to his lips, and she couldn't help but smile as he bit into it and chewed with child-like enthusiasm. He planted a kiss on her cheek and withdrew back toward the bedroom to dress, leaving her alone in the kitchen once more. She brushed away the smear of crumbs he'd left on her cheek and took another bite from her bagel halfheartedly.

_If only you were like that all the time, Akito._

**xXx**

"I don't see what the problem is," Usagi grumbled, well loud enough for the costumer service employee to hear her. The middle aged redhead huffed with her frustration as the blonde woman placed her left hand on the dress that lay across the counter and waved a slightly crumpled slip of paper in her right. "Here's the dress, here's the receipt, and I paid cash! I just want a refund!"

"Ma'am, we don't do cash back refunds." The employee iterated for the third time, her green eyes searching for her manager who was, of course, nowhere to be found. "I can give you a store credit. I'm sorry, but I can't just make an exception."

"Oh, well. I guess I'll just call Aki and tell him the bad news." Usagi heaved a dramatic sigh as she saw the manager approach the desk, taking in the disheveled clerk and the dress on the counter. For a moment he said nothing, watching the blonde pull out her cell phone.

"Who's Aki?" He finally asked, rather dumbly in her opinion. Usagi suppressed the urge to roll her eyes, and instead let out a fake gasp of surprise.

"Why, you've never heard of Akito Sohma, the owner of Sohma, Inc.? What a shame, because he's about to hear of you," she paused, her cerulean eyes darting over his name tag, "George." Usagi only punched in a single digit before the manager, George, cried out for her to stop. He apologized profusely the whole time he was punching numbers into the cash register, until the lovely little box finally dinged and the drawer popped open.

"I'm so sorry for the inconvenience, Misses Sohma," George bowed again as he counted out the correct amount of cash. Usagi didn't bother to correct his mistake on her name as she recounted the bills in her hand and smiled. "Next time just ask for me personally."

"Thank you, George, that's very sweet." The blonde waved a hand over her shoulder as she left, with one more destination before she headed back to Akito's office.

**xXx**

Usagi spotted the lean form of Kyou Sohma walking briskly across the way before Hotaru ever noticed, and so she was able to share a look with him outside the violet eyed girl's perception. It did well to antagonize him, he appeared in an edgy mood already, and his tie was crooked again. The blonde felt a strong urge to laugh, so much that she had to cough into her hand to stifle it, and this caused Hotaru to finally turn, with interest, toward the new arrival.

"Oh, Sohma-san, good morning! The others are already waiting for you so you can go right in." The ebony haired woman smiled. Still irked, Kyou made no reply, just walked right past them and through the twin mahogany doors. Hotaru raised her perfectly arched eyebrows at Usagi, who had burst into giggles as soon as the door slammed shut. "Did I miss something? What's with you and him?"

"He's so uptight. It's too easy to annoy him. I think it's hilarious." She offered a grin, her eyes sparkling merrily, and the other girl joined in on the mirth. They laughed for a moment, before Usagi picked up on their previous conversation. "So how is school going?"

"Good, considering I don't get a lot of sleep. Night school is hell with a job." Hotaru emphasized her point with a long gulp of her coffee. They shared a brief silence, before the younger girl broke it with a somber question. "How is she?"

"Better," Usagi replied softly, her blue eyes shifting to the overpriced, colorful mural on the wall across from her. She bit down on her thumb nail nervously, "I think. It's hard to tell. She lies to me all the time. I'm so scared, Hota-chan"

"Stay strong, Usa-chan," The short girl stood from her chair and pulled the blonde into a fierce hug, which she gladly returned. "You're doing everything you can, okay?"

_Yes, but will it be enough? _Usagi thought to herself, not wanting to worry her friend further. They pulled apart as the office doors opened, and two gentlemen stepped out. One was the obviously flustered Kyou Sohma and the other a reasonably calm Yuki Sohma. The blonde felt convinced she could actually see the cloud of tension hovering between the two cousins and business rivals as they walked across the lobby.

The silver haired Yuki paused, and then turned toward the two women at the desk. He smiled toward Usagi and said, "Hello Usagi-san, how are you?"

She wasn't surprised, Yuki was often overly polite. It added to his charm, she supposed. Returning the smile easily, she replied, "I'm good. How are you? Did your deal go off without a hitch?" Usagi couldn't stop the smile that tugged her lips when she heard Kyou huff by the elevator, characteristically tugging his tie as he waited for the elevator.

"Yes, actually, it went well. It was nice to see you again," Yuki offered another polite smile, and Usagi nodded in agreement as the elevator arrived with a sharp ding. In a mere moment, both males were gone, leaving the blonde to revel in her humor again.

**xXx**

_**Sohma, Inc., Kyon Corps, and Ouji Enterprises merge to release new product**_

Kyou read the headline again with mixed emotions. Akito must have made the official statement to the press, he reasoned, because every paper on the newsstand read similar headlines. He grimaced at phrases like, 'all in the family,' and ignored the young woman behind the counter fluttering her eyelashes at him. He knew he should be happy, ecstatic even, over all the good press, but his thoughts kept wandering. Even his intense dislike for a certain Yuki Sohma could not distract him.

His eyes caught sight of a blonde crown of hair walking down the sidewalk, and before he knew what he was doing, he was walking after the person. It only took a split second to catch himself; he realized it wasn't her anyway, but he still started cursing. _Damn it! If Akito hadn't said anything I wouldn't be going through this at all._

"Hey, fancy meeting you here," Kyou nearly jumped out of his skin. He knew without turning around whom it was, but he somehow couldn't believe it. Finally he twisted to face the owner of the voice, and he met gazes with that increasingly familiar pair of twinkling blue eyes. Her lips were curved into their usual smile as she continued, "It must be an ego boost to see your name in_ all_ the headlines. No tie today, though. Good choice."

The orange haired male could only nod. He'd dressed in his old high school clothes today to avoid being noticed; apparently that hadn't worked out. Surveying her clothing, Kyou realized with a bit of surprise that she was clad in a cheap pair of jeans (he'd seen enough thousand dollar pairs to tell the difference), tennis shoes, and a simple cotton tank top. "You're not exactly sporting your gold digger gear."

Usagi's eyes widened in complete shock; Kyou bit back on his tongue, his eyes instantly averting back to the newspapers. _I can't believe I just said that_. He probably would not have chanced looking back at her if the light sound of her laughter didn't assault his ears immediately after. Something about the stunned look on his face seemed to make her laugh even harder.

"Is that why you don't like me, Kyou? You think I'm only out for Akito's money?" Though she stopped laughing, the blonde smiled even wider than usual. Kyou sputtered slightly, but quickly regained his composure.

"Are you saying you're not?" He retorted.

"I'm not saying anything." Usagi returned, smiling at him one last time before she stepped around him and continued on her way.

**xXx**

Rereading this chapter I came upon two realizations. One, the manager at the department store was named George, and I noticed he must've been named after my own manager George who is quite a pushover when it comes to complaining customers. So that little detail made me laugh. Two, I absolutely love this story. That probably sounds conceited since I wrote it, but I can't help it. I simply can't get through a chapter without giggling insanely. ;D

I hope you enjoyed this chapter, which is told from Usagi's point of view mostly. A few hints are dropped involving her back story. Can you figure it out? Thank you to my reviewers for last chapter, and please if you can, sign in for your reviews so I can reply. I only had one signed review for the first chapter.

That said, please review!

♥SachiNyoko♥


	3. Chapter 3

**Created: May 9, 2007**

**xXx **_  
_

_Even so, all that time I admired you. You were so, so strong all the time. You were strong when I was weak, even if it seemed like the opposite to me then. I don't think, if we had switched places, I could have handled your situation at all. I wonder if you could've done the things I've done._

_Still, looking at it now, I feel stronger than ever. I credit you for that._

**xXx**

Kyou, before he realized what he was doing, started tugging his tie. When he did notice what he was doing, he cursed and crossed his arms. The launch party of their new product was about to start, and the two people he had come to completely loathe stood on his left, chatting dully. His lips stayed sealed, and he glared haphazardly at the table of free food on the other side of the room.

Then the doors finally opened, guests on the list started to filter in, and he was forced to greet every one of them as politely as possible. It felt like a monotonous eternity; his arm began to ache from the constant handshakes. People persistently doting on him made him sick to his stomach.

He broke loose from the tediousness after an hour and bee-lined to his designated table, but still could not escape the unwanted attention. As waiters offered him countless hors d'oeuvres and champagne, he felt his annoyance mounting, and just when he felt ready to bite the head off of the overzealous servers, he spotted her.

Usagi strode in quietly, arm in arm with a brunette girl he had never laid eyes on in his life. Her brown eyes shifted back and forth nervously; she was obviously not used to this kind of setting, but Usagi whispered something to her and she seemed to calm somewhat. The two women made their way toward Yuki; she introduced the other girl and slipped away once Yuki and the brunette girl collided into full conversation.

Kyou had not spoken to the blonde at all since their unexpected run in several weeks ago. His stomach dropped when she appeared right next to his table and took a seat, smiling. "Good evening, Kyou. You don't seem too thrilled. This is your big night."

"I guess." The orange haired male muttered. He suddenly realized that this was also Yuki and Akito's designated table, he should've known that Usagi would show up there eventually. She submitted to his silence and made no further prods to him, somewhat of a shock. Kyou took the moment to observe her.

Deep blue eyes settled on the lithe form of Akito Sohma, standing across the room and talking to the mayor, of all people. Kyou felt the surprise run through him at the expression that covered her face. Her lips quirked slightly into a soft smile, much different than the sparkling one she usually showed him. Her eyes filled with affection, and he found himself wondering if maybe Usagi did really care for Akito.

That's when he noticed it. Though it had been delicately and professionally covered with ivory white makeup, Kyou had been unconsciously staring so long that he could make out the dark bruise that followed her jaw line perfectly. "What happened?"

She turned back to him, the look on her face disappearing in a moment. He mentally cursed himself for blurting his thoughts yet again. Still, he was now forced to elaborate, "Your face. What happened to your face?"

"Oh. Nothing," her hand touched the spot in question subconsciously, and Kyou saw her frown for the first time. It flickered back into a smile as she met his eyes again, and said, "I'm a bit clumsy. I slipped in the bathroom yesterday."

Kyou nodded slightly. He knew it was a lie, simply by her look when he asked. His red hued eyes turned and bored into Akito so fiercely that the dark haired man turned, as thought sensing the hostile stare placed on him. His eyes shifted between Usagi and Kyou, he frowned, and abruptly excused himself. The mayor, his jaw still open from being in mid-sentence, looked highly affront as Akito strode away, directly toward them.

As Kyou shifted uncomfortably in his seat, Usagi displayed her dazzling smile for the approaching Akito. Without a word he rounded the table and pulled her to her feet, and the blue eyed woman flushed at the rather passionate kiss he placed on her lips. Kyou felt his stomach churn, but he turned away and pretended to be interested in the crowd. "Bunny, what are you doing over here?"

"You looked busy, Akito. I decided to wait for you at the table." Usagi didn't sound as playful, as mischievous as she usually did. Akito ran his finger along her jaw, smiling, with his face still inches from hers. "I don't like to interrupt you, you know."

"Oh, I know." He paused before saying, "Bunny you look a bit pale. Perhaps you should retire early. I wouldn't want you to get sick."

"You're right, I do feel a bit faint. I'll see you later, hmm?" His dark eyes crinkled as he finally released her. Usagi didn't even offer him a glance as she turned and walked off; Kyou caught a final glimpse of her blonde hair disappearing through the doors she'd entered not too long before. Akito grinned after her before he walked off as well leaving Kyou to the solitude he'd originally wanted. Completely unsettled, the red eyed male rose from his seat, pulled his tie loose, and left the party with no concern for the effect on his image.

Of course, his momentum crashed to a halt when he reached the sidewalk. The valet left for his car, and he spotted that familiar crown of blonde not too far away. The glow of the streetlight above her illuminated the golden tresses, giving the strange illusion of a halo. He approached her, wondering what she was doing, why she stood so still, but once he was only a few feet away he realized it. Usagi leaned her hand into the post next to her, relying on it fully for balance; she was trembling all over.

As though sensing his presence, she turned to face him. Her blue eyes betrayed nothing. She asked him, "What do you want, Kyou?"

"I always knew Akito was a despicable, conniving man, but I hadn't pegged him as the type to abuse women." Usagi reeled at that one, but kept a decent facade. She continued to watch the orange haired male carefully, neither confirming nor denying his accusation. He continued to glare off to the side, at nothing, but he suddenly turned and met her gaze. She couldn't figure out why he was so angry, of all things, but the rage in his eyes was potent, palpable. "But you? Taking that kind of treatment just so you can get at his bank account?"

Kyou intended to say more. He even, when forming the next words out of his mouth, expected to get slapped. That didn't happen. Some fleeting emotion passed over the blonde's face before she balled up her hand and sent it flying at his face. Gracelessly he stumbled backward, out of the blow. Usagi shook from head to toe, but now with anger.

"You don't know_anything_ about me you selfish, arrogant, asshole!"

And Usagi ran.

**xXx**

The absent concern from the previous night caught up with him the next morning at his routine stop at the newsstand. He read the headline over again, '_**Kyou Sohma cuts out early,**_' rolling his eyes toward the dark and smoggy city heavens. The sign on the stand clearly read, '**NO FREE READS**.' He paid the annoying girl behind the counter for a copy and unfolded the paper.

_Last night's launch party for the new product being released by the unlikely trio of Sohma cousins was no doubt the talk of town. The extravagancy, the glamour, and the three equally handsome Sohma's greeting guests at the door, there was simply nowhere else to be. However, not even an hour into the event, sources spotted Kyou's unmistakable mop of orange hair slipping out the door._

_Kyon Corps CEO Kyou Sohma has faced much scrutiny since the business launched three years ago. Kyou was only twenty one at the time and no one believed he could follow in the footsteps of his older cousin Akito Sohma, head of Sohma Inc. Regardless, he pulled through the first year astoundingly and the business has been rising more and more ever since._

_Still, Kyou Sohma displayed more of his inexperienced side last night when he suddenly disappeared from the most important event of his career thus far. No one could account for his whereabouts, not even his two partners. Sponsors have voiced a concern of the young man's competency—_

Kyou could take no more; he flung the newspaper in the garbage can and shoved his hand in his pockets. For a moment he just seethed, the anger rolling off of him in waves. Then, he dug his cell phone from his pocket and punched in his secretary's speed dial.

"This is Kyou. Inform the press that I'm making a statement at noon regarding my sudden departure from last night's launch party. Thank you." He flipped the phone shut and headed back to his apartment for a change of clothes.

**xXx**

"Good afternoon." Kyou watched the cameras still, the eager reporters with pen and pad in hand. "I would like to apologize for leaving last night's event so abruptly. Please rest assured that the only reason I left was because I was not feeling well. I hadn't the time to inform anyone before I left.

"Apparently the past three years of solid success has not answered the constant question on my aptitude, or the fact that I launched this company on my own, or that I run it on my own. Though the media seems to be only focused on my age and hair color, I will persist in my efforts to keep Kyon Corps a successful industry and will do nothing to jeopardize my recent partnership with Sohma Inc. and Ouji Enterprises.

"On a final note, if any of our corporate sponsors question my abilities, they should contact me personally and not make sloppy comments to the press about it. Thank you." The orange haired male stepped down from the podium, ignoring the flood of questions that assaulted him and the microphones being shoved in his face. He loosened his tie as he made it to his car and slammed the door on the annoying press.

"Just drive," he told the man in the front before turning his attentions to the window. Only a moment passed before his phone went crazy in his pocket. Without even checking the id, he flipped the phone open and held it to his ear. "Hello?"

"That was incredibly juvenile," Kyou cringed at the voice of Yuki Sohma, but his most hated rival continued before he could think to snap the phone closed. "Fortunately for you, the press coverage will be good for us. In the future, please don't jeopardize my name with your idiocy."

In a normal circumstance, Kyou would've bitten the head right off of his cousin, but something distracted him from the phone call completely. He shut the phone and threw it on the seat, instructing his driver to pull over.

As he suspected, the short form of Usagi appeared through the swarm of people on the sidewalk, entering the expensive boutique with a bag in hand. A ridiculously large pair of sunglasses covered most of her face, but she was again clad in a low maintenance outfit of jeans and a sweater. Kyou watched through the glass windows as the blonde dumped the same dress she had worn the night before on the counter and shoved a sales slip in the startled clerk's hand.

An argument ensued for several minutes before the manager finally appeared at the desk. The exchange continued until Usagi reached for her phone and the manager visibly paled. Within moments she stepped out of the store with a wad of cash in her hand. She stuffed the sum in her jeans pocket and continued walking down the street. Kyou, completely perplexed, jumped out of the car and told his driver to go back home. Without second guessing himself, he sprinted down the sidewalk until he spotted the blonde again.

Slowing his pace, he followed her at a safe distance away until the city crowds thinned. The quality of neighborhood slowly declined, he noted, wondering where on earth she could be headed. Finally she stopped in front of a small house in slight disrepair. Her sunglass-clad eyes stared up at the house for a while, and Kyou hung back out of sight just watching her, confused as all hell. Then he spotted the woman on the porch, curled into a rocking chair.

Usagi moved forward, closer to the house, and the woman looked up. Her frame looked overly thin, frail, and her head was wrapped in a colorful scarf. She offered a smile when she identified the approaching blonde, and Kyou felt his stomach drop. That smile. He walked forward, closer to the scene so he could hear their conversation, but enough out of the way so neither female would notice him.

"Usagi, dear, it's so nice to see you." The woman stretched her arms out in front of her, beckoning the young blonde into a hug. Usagi dipped down and embraced the woman delicately, as though she could shatter in her arms. She pulled back and smiled at the woman so tenderly, it was different than any look he'd seen on her face, even the one she'd given Akito the night before.

"Same here, Mom. What are you doing out here? You should be inside resting." The woman, identified as Usagi's mother, reached up and removed the glasses from her daughter's face. Kyou scowled darkly at the new bruise that lined her cheek bone as her mother gasped.

"What happened, honey?" Usagi smiled, brushing her off by pulling the wad of cash from her pocket and placing it in her hand. She closed her fingers around it and shook her head as the protests started.

"Shingo called me. I know you don't have enough to buy groceries. Please take it." A look passed between the two women, her mother grudgingly conceded, tucking the bills away haphazardly. An awkward, unsettling silence drifted between them, before the older woman's brown eyes found his. _Shit_.

"Usagi, do you know that young man?" Usagi head snapped in the direction her mother pointed. All the color drained from her face when she laid eyes on him, and Kyou walked forward grudgingly, his head down like a scolded child.

"Oh, mom, this is Kyou Sohma. Kyou, this is my mother, Ikuko Tsukino." The blonde saw no way out of the situation, so she made the shaky introduction. Kyou bowed but said nothing, so Usagi continued, "Would you like to come in? I was just going to force you to bed, mother."

"Usagi, I'm perfectly fine." Ikuko protested, but Usagi ignored her and helped her to her feet. Kyou followed the two into the house, not knowing what else to do, and stood idly in the entrance while they disappeared down the hall. The blonde reappeared several minutes later, alone, and gestured for him to follow her into the kitchen.

"What do you think you're doing? Did you follow me here?" She whirled and glared at him as soon as they stepped onto the kitchen tile. Kyou shook his head lamely, not knowing what to say. He could only look on as Usagi lowered into a seat at the table. Her face crumbled and she seemed to collapse in on herself. Both elbows on the table, she rested her forehead into her palms and said, "You might as well call Akito."

"Do you really think I would?" Kyou answered, offended that she would even suggest it. Usagi peered at him over her hands, and he was taken aback by the sheer emotions that filled her blue eyes. For a moment, they both stilled completely.

She drew herself up in her chair and finally said, "Please get out."

He didn't need to be told twice.

**xXx**

Thank you for reading. Please review.

♥SachiNyoko♥


	4. Chapter 4

**Created: May 14, 2007**

**xXx**

_Maybe you were grateful for what I did, but I could never tell by the look on your face. It hurts to think the person you admire most may look at you in the opposite light. It will never hurt as much as losing you. It will never hurt me as much as standing there watching you drift away._

_You were always drifting out of my reach. I was always gone. No one said life was easy._

**xXx**

Kyou threw his pillow across the room angrily, finally submitting to his restlessness, and sat upright in his bed. The most valiant of efforts could not shake her from his thoughts. The persona when he'd first met her had evolved into someone totally different. He almost found humor in that first thought, that judgment he'd placed upon her during their first encounter. _Gold digger_.

Brushing his orange hair from his face, he snorted with frustration and tossed his covers on the floor. He thought about his own mother, about what he'd ever done for her, to save her, and came to one answer. Nothing. Yet Usagi, the girl he thought was so shallow, had given everything; her whole life, her happiness, her freedom.

_You don't know_ anything _about me_, that's what she'd said, but didn't everyone say that? Everyone lived under the illusion that they were so different from the cliché, the rules didn't apply to them. But it was true. He didn't know anything. He could still see that frail woman curled in her rocking chair on the porch, her brown eyes turned out on the world. The smile when she spotted Usagi approaching.

Kyou finally stood and headed for his kitchen. Reaching in the cupboard, he brought down a glass and retrieved the milk from the fridge. It was his favorite beverage since he was little, but even as he poured his thoughts fell back to her face, her sincere and bright expressions, her sparkling blue eyes, and that jovial smile.

_Is that why you don't like me, Kyou? You think I'm only out for Akito's money?_ It was true, he told himself, wasn't it? That loving expression that he'd caught her in, was that just part of the act too? Kyou closed the refrigerator door and ran a hand through his short orange hair, frustrated.

"What the hell does any of this matter?" He asked the empty, pristine kitchen around him. The room seemed to sigh at him, but otherwise stayed perfectly silent. His cell phone had other plans; it emitted a piercing objection to his idleness and drew him back to his room. Flipping the phone open, his eyes scanned the awaiting text message.

In moments, Kyou had dressed and left the apartment.

**xXx**

He didn't have a hard time recognizing her despite the ridiculously large sunglasses, the worn out baseball cap, or the messy hair that looked like it'd neglected a comb-through. Maybe because he'd thought about her so much in the past twelve hours that none of these things really held a shot at disguising her. When Usagi finally pulled off the dark glasses and stared up at him, she was still the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen, and he hated himself for thinking it.

"Why? Why wouldn't you tell Akito what I'm doing?" His eyes shifted; they were in the same neighborhood as her mother's house. No one would ever spot them here, or recognize either of them for that matter. "I can only think of two reasons why you wouldn't tell him. One, the completely ridiculous one, you're in love with me. Two, the reason I called you, is you're planning to blackmail me."

Kyou knew his face turned red. He always had that sixth sense that told him when he looked like a complete idiot. Right now it was going nuts. Usagi still looked up at him, waiting for a response. On the surface she looked calm, defiant even. Her eyes told a different story. He didn't call her on it.

"Maybe I just hate Akito and could care less either way. Did you consider that one?"

"I did, actually. It didn't fit. You see, I'm a pretty good judge of character. I've never been wrong. You talk big and act big, but that's only because you have to if you want to survive the business world. Inside you're a nice guy. Nice enough, anyway, to let Akito in on what you found out," Usagi crossed her arms, "So just give me the straightforward answer."

"How about this," it was in his nature to cut deals. That was part of what made him a great businessman, "You tell me the whole story, and I'll tell you why I haven't snitched."

_Why?_

"Okay," Usagi conceded, biting down on her lip in anxiousness. Her blue eyes shifted from the bus stop to their left to the lone stretch of sidewalk to their right, and she sighed. "Come on, let's go to the park."

Kyou didn't question this request, simply nodded and followed her as she walked to their right, down the empty sidewalk. Both remained completely silent for the duration of the stroll; the blonde led them into the park and down the well plodded path until they came to a quiet park bench, cut off from the random straggler in the park walking their dogs or playing with their children. Usagi fell into a seat on one end of the bench, and he took the spot beside her.

"This is my favorite place," she said, more to herself than to him, as she scanned the familiar territory. Then she turned her eyes back to him, and slowly began. "My name is Usagi Tsukino. My family is completely normal, or, it used to be. My mother and father, and my little brother Shingo, we were probably like that picture perfect family you imagine, you know? I graduated high school and managed to scrape into a college. Life was normal.

Then my mother was diagnosed with breast cancer. It hit the family hard. My dad, he tried to be strong, but some blows you can't recover from. I think he got so scared of losing her that he just up and ran away. I won't lie and pretend I understand why he did it, I won't say I don't blame him or I forgive him. I hate him for abandoning us." The blonde paused, her balled fists trembling in her lap.

"You didn't try to find him?" Kyou asked quietly. Usagi nodded.

"I did. I found out that he had booked a flight out to America. I called him, but what could I do? Demand he come home and act like a man instead of a coward? I was completely helpless, and let me tell you, that's the most horrible, sickening feeling in the world.

"I dropped out of college and moved home. I got a job as a waitress, but no matter how good the tips were, I couldn't support a family of three. I couldn't pay my mother's doctor bills, and she was too sick to work. Shingo was too young to get a job. I felt like I was drowning, but I had to keep my head up because I was the only one who could do anything. I thought seriously sometimes about becoming a stripper or a prostitute or something, anything to save my family."

Usagi stopped again, her eyes widening slightly. She glanced at him, her face red, and muttered, "I never told anyone that. Anyway, one day I met Yuki at the diner that I worked in. It was during a time when he wasn't into the business world yet and Akito was still on the rise. I don't remember exactly how it all happened, but he introduced me to Akito." She twisted her hands nervously in her lap, "I know you probably don't believe me, but I fell in love with him."

"With Akito?" Kyou asked, more for clarification than anything, but he was in disbelief.

"Yes. I know to you he's only the harsh, manipulative person you've always known, but there's a completely different side of him. I can't explain it. You probably think I'm stupid." She let out a shaky laugh, probably half sob as well, and wiped at her eyes. "But no matter if that side of him is fake or not, I'm still more evil than he'll ever be. I really did fall in love with Akito, but more than that, I saw a way out for me and my family. More than anything, I wanted to save them."

"Does Akito know about your family?"

"No," Usagi shook her head, sniffling, "I lied about everything. I told him I lived on my own, that I was just working to pay the bills, all that. He offered to let me move in with him. When I packed my bags, I promised my mother that I wasn't abandoning them. I wasn't my father. My mother was quiet the whole time. I thought maybe she hated me. She stopped me at the door and hugged me, and I'll never forget what she said to me that day."

"What?" Kyou waited through several moments of silence, until he could no longer stand it, before he finally blurted the one word question. Usagi, who was previously observing her feet with much gusto, finally turned back to him to speak.

"She told me to run and never come back." The tears fell freely now, she didn't bother trying to wipe them or stop them from coming. "But I couldn't. I couldn't live with myself if I did that. So I figured out a plan. Every time Akito had an important event, he would give me money to buy a dress. Actual cash, and I'm not sure why he never got me a credit card or something more practical, but I never complained. I would buy a dress, keep the tag attached, and return it the next day. If they didn't want to give me a cash refund, I would just threaten to call Akito and they instantly caved. Then I gave the money to my mother."

She stopped again, but this time the story was over. As the whole thing sank in, Kyou found himself completely blown away. For a while they sat in silence, he could think of nothing to say, but Usagi broke the moment when she turned and said, "Okay, your turn. Why haven't you told?"

As she faced him, he couldn't fight the urge to wipe away her tears. His hands reached out before he was fully aware. He ran his thumb gently over her bruised cheek, and her breath caught in her throat. "You gave two reasons why I wouldn't tell Akito. Well I'm not trying to blackmail you."

Usagi tried to process that, but she didn't have time. Her brain stopped working the instant Kyou pressed his lips over hers.

**xXx**

I'm pretty sure this is the shortest of all the chapters. I doubt there will be another update before Christmas, so Happy Holidays everyone! Please review!

♥SachiNyoko**♥**


	5. Chapter 5

**Created: July 16, 2007 **

**xXx**_  
_

_I've lived with this for a long time. I've given to this for a long time. We've never been perfect. I'll always love you. No matter what. _

**xXx**

Usagi sat in the waiting chair, one long leg folded over the other. Her dangling foot tapped through the air at a hundred miles an hour, the only outward sign of her nervousness. Behind her usual dark glasses, her eyes shifted from side to side, mostly to keep herself awake. She spent her nights tossing and turning instead of sleeping. Hotaru sent worried glances, but paperwork jointed with nonstop phone calls kept her too swamped to inquire on the blonde's problem.

Oh, and she had a problem. It involved two of the three gentlemen on the other side of those rich mahogany doors. Staring at her freshly manicured nails, she tried to keep her thoughts from drifting back to Kyou. Mostly this proved futile.

"I'm going to the cafeteria," the blonde said offhandedly. Hotaru nodded. She walked briskly for the elevator, her boots making a nice rhythm against the floor with each step. As her hand reached to press in the down arrow, she heard Akito's office door open and shut. As she waited she heard a set a footsteps approaching behind her.

_Please be Yuki_, she prayed, her eyes shut, waiting on the arrival of the elevator. The doors dinged open, and her eyelids shot up in harmony. Kyou stood at her side, his arms crossed, waiting on her to board first. She sent a desperate look in Hotaru's direction, hoping for a last minute rescue, but the ebony haired girl was immersed. The steel doors slid shut, to her misery.

What could she do? Usagi pondered inwardly on whether she should greet Kyou and act like yesterday never happened, or simply stay silent and let the stillness around them make obvious that it had.

_I pushed away, though. I ran off like a good, faithful girlfriend. I've nothing to feel shameful about. _Usagi frowned, staring as the elevator ticked the floors away, wondering if someone would get on and ride the way down with them, save her from hysteria. _Except maybe that it's not what I wanted to do. Except that I wanted to stay there and let Kyou hold me. _

**xXx**

Kyou stood still in the small, enclosed elevator aware that Usagi was inches away. Watching as emotions flew across her face, twisting her expressions, he wondered if she realized how her eyes gave away her every thought. He was rarely straightforward with his feelings, but he'd told her how he felt in so many words. The sight of her back as she ran from him, the image still hurt him more than he realized.

The fingers on his hand twitched with nervous energy. Kyou was not a romantic type; he had no idea where to go from there, especially after he was more or less rejected. Further still, how to pursue the girlfriend of his cousin and now business partner? Yet he ached to reach out and touch her, to run his fingers through her hair. He stopped his thoughts there, as the blonde woman turned and met his gaze.

"I love Akito," she said firmly, her tone leaving nothing to be doubted. His heart imploded. Then, her expression softened, and she said, "I'm not sure how I feel about you, Kyou. I don't even know if I want to."

"He's no good for you." Kyou nearly bit his tongue clean off, shocked by his own words. She gave him a wide eyed look just as the elevator dinged. He watched her back disappear across the floors in an instant, melt into the crowd of the cafeteria, and found the sight even more painful the second time around.

**xXx**

Usagi poured more sugar into her cup of coffee, stirring almost manically. The woman aside her sent a sympathetic glance her way as she poured her own cup, but said nothing. The blonde wished she would. She needed something to distract her. When her cup consisted of half coffee, half sugar, she relinquished her hold on the dispenser and walked stiffly back toward the elevator.

_He's no good for you_. Kyou's words echoed constant as she rode back up the elevator, the warmth of the coffee heating her fingertips. Oh, she'd heard those words before. Friends, acquaintances, people she barely knew seemed to share the sentiment, and feel the need to tell her outright.

"It doesn't change the fact that I love him." Usagi whispered to the empty steel box around her. "I mean, sure he's rough around the edges. He can be abusive. But there's that whole other side to him."

She stopped talking to herself when the elevator doors slid open. Hotaru looked up from her paperwork and quirked an eyebrow. Usagi fought down the urge to gulp and instead strode across the room as though nothing were out of the ordinary.

"Usagi, what's going on?" Hotaru rose from her desk chair, finally abandoning the stack of tediousness in front of her to tend to her frenzied friend. At Usagi's puzzled look, the dark haired girl pointed to the cup in her hand, "You hate coffee."

"Oh. Yeah."

"Is there something going on between you and Kyou?" Hotaru spoke in barely a whisper, but Usagi still felt like Akito could hear them. She looked around, panicked, expecting Akito to come bursting from his office.

"Is it that obvious?" Usagi asked weakly. At Hotaru's nearly horrified expression, she frantically added, "It's nothing like _that_. I do have morals. Well, I am starting to doubt that but we haven't _done_ anything."

"But you like him?" When Usagi buried her face in her hands and groaned, Hotaru gulped. "You _love_ him?"

"I don't know. I honestly don't." The ebony haired young woman wrapped her friend in a comforting hug, one that the blonde appreciated more than she could ever know. That's when Usagi's cell phone rang.

"Hello?" She inquired as Hotaru pulled away, walking back to her desk so that Akito wouldn't catch her and think she was slacking off. The clatter of the phone on the marble floor spun her on her heel, and at the sight of Usagi's deathly pale face, she was back at her side in a flash.

"What's wrong?"

"Mom."

**xXx**

The blonde woman stood in the waiting room, pacing. Her younger brother, Shingo, sat in a seat at the end of the row of chairs that lined to wall, watching. He looked at the clock, then his sister, then down the hall where his mother was.

The doctor appeared, and Usagi stood before him in an instant, Shingo at her side. The middle aged male looked them over, unnerved, before he gave them the news. "It doesn't look good."

"What the hell does that mean?" Usagi snapped. She felt the vein of fear run through her, and hoped she wasn't about to hear what she had dreaded for so long. Her throat tightened.

"It means I gave your mother a few months to live, but it looks like that has quickly become a few hours. I'm so sorry." That was the end. She felt the hot tears running down her face as her knees shook under her, before giving way completely.

Then suddenly, she felt a pair of strong arms around her, catching her before she could connect with the hospital floor. She buried her face in their shirt, feeling the warmth and comfort even as her world fell apart.

"I'm here, Usagi. Just let it out." He wasn't sure himself what he was saying, but he felt her hands clench onto his shirt as she leaned into him. Part of her knew she should push away, that she shouldn't be clinging to Akito's cousin for dear life, but she hadn't the strength to fight it. So she let him lead her toward her mother's hospital room, holding his hand, trying to find some emotional strength for the coming moment.

"Usagi, dear," her hand left Kyou's as she went to her mother's side. He hung in the background, silent, waiting. The tiny woman appeared frailer than ever, her limbs so thin you could almost see her skeleton. With the scarf missing, her smooth bald head showed unabashedly. She smiled up at her daughter, "I knew you'd come."

"Nothing could keep me, Mom." Usagi croaked as she took her mother's hand, squeezing it gently. The tears dropped from her cheeks onto her hands as she said, "I love you."

"I know you do. Don't be sad, my little Bunny. I'm happy now." Ikuko, smiling softly still, held a strange emotion in her brown eyes as she brought her daughter's hand to her face and kissed it softly.

"Don't say that." The blonde protested, her voice breaking with sobs. She bent down and placed her arms around the older woman, crying into her shoulder while Ikuko stroked her hair softly.

"But it's true. You've sacrificed so much, Usagi. I want you to be free of me."

"But I love you," Usagi wailed softly, pitifully, "I don't want you to go. Please don't go, Mama."

"I have to. I love you." Ikuko held her hand out for Shingo to hold, and when he grabbed it, she said, "I love you both. You are the best kids a mother could ask for. I know you'll be happy."

Ikuko Tsukino passed on that night.

**xXx**

Kyou kept his arms firmly around the sleeping Usagi. There were still faint trails of tears over her cheeks. He placed a kiss along her brow, wondering how long he'd felt this strongly about the blonde. When he saw the heartbreak in her eyes, he knew then that he loved her, wanted to protect her from anything and everything that would hurt her like that again. Even now he wanted her in his arms like this forever.

She stirred faintly, and opened her eyes. They stared at each other for a few moments, before she lowered her head to his shoulder once more. In a voice raw from crying, she asked, "How did you know I was at the hospital?"

"Hotaru." Usagi closed her eyes and made a mental note to thank her ebony haired friend later. "Usagi, I love you."

The blonde's eyes widened. She felt her heart stop. But she was on her feet in a second, staring down at him, shock, confusion, misery all playing through her expression. She opened her mouth to give a response, when she felt a hand touch her shoulder.

"Usagi," she whirled to face Hotaru, whose eyes were still red rimmed from the day's heartache. Smiling softly, she continued, "It's time you realized the truth, and I'm only going to say this because seeing you with Kyou has been the happiest I've seen you over the past few years. There was a time, when you first started dating Akito, when you used to come to me and tell me how you hated the way he acted most of the time, and I used to listen to you say how you were fed up, that you wanted to leave.

"Then, suddenly, you kind of closed yourself from the rest of us." At Usagi face, Hotaru took her hands and continued earnestly, "You've changed, Usa. You don't laugh and joke like you used to. If I talk to you at all, it's only at the office, you never call me. I doubt you call the rest of our friends either."

Though the blonde woman looked on the verge of sobbing, Hotaru knew she couldn't stop now. Her own eyes brimming with tears again, she squeezed Usagi's hands and said, "I know you think so, but Usagi, you don't love Akito. You keep saying it over and over, trying to convince yourself. You never did. I think maybe you wanted to believe it so you felt less guilty about what was going on. Don't deny yourself now, okay? Ikuko is gone; you don't need to take care of her anymore. Let yourself be free."

Usagi might as well have collapsed. She fell against Hotaru's equally tiny frame and sobbed into her shoulder while the younger girl held her. Over the upset woman's shoulder, she met Kyou's gaze and smiled. When Usagi finally let go of Hotaru and turned, he was standing right there behind her. "Kyou, I..." she paused, anxious, before saying with finality, "I love you too."

She placed her hands on his face and brought their lips together. It was their first kiss, short and sweet.

**xXx**

Usagi managed to get everything she felt she really owned into one suitcase. She took none of the things Akito had bought her; they still stood in the closet next to his belongings. As she carried the single bag out of the bedroom, she heard the door open and close. She met the dark haired man there, before he'd finished hanging his coat in the closet.

"Usagi?" He questioned. His dark eyes took in her bag, her coat already on, the sad look in her eyes as she stared back at him. "What are you doing?"

"I'm leaving, Akito." Usagi placed the bag at her feet and watched as he froze. His expression was disbelieving, shocked. She could feel her heart breaking at the confusion and hurt there, even though it quickly turned to anger. Stepping forward, her fingers touched his face lightly. "I don't love you. I've been deceiving and using you all this time. There's no way for me to stay here any longer when our relationship was built on falsities. Please understand."

"What are you talking about?" The blonde stepped back, shaking her head. She bent and picked up her bag once more, moving to walk around him. "Usagi, please don't go. I forgive you. Please stay."

"I can't stay, Akito. You say you love me, but the way you treat me says the opposite." She paused, collecting a breath before saying, "Besides, I love someone else." Usagi met gazes with him again, the tears she tried to hide apparent now. Akito's face darkened and he released her.

"It's Kyou, isn't it?" Usagi ducked her head, ashamed, and walked out the door without another word. She closed it softly behind her, and closed it for good.

**xXx**

This chapter underwent a bit of revision before I posted it. I hope everyone enjoyed their holidays! I know I did. –hugs new PS3- The next chapter is the last one. I realize this story went by fast, but I didn't have the heart to drag it on. Please review!

♥SachiNyoko♥


	6. Chapter 6

**Created: December 7, 2007**

**xXx**

_So I ask you not to hate me. Remember, it was all for you. Always._**  
**

**xXx **

Usagi fled down the hall when she heard the door open behind her, despite the fact she could hardly see through her tears. If she could only make it as far as the elevator, she would be safe. It wasn't to be, though; she felt Akito's fingers clench around her arm, his nails digging into her flesh. Her head snapped toward him, mussed blonde hair in her face, while she tried not to wince at the pain shooting up her arm.

Then his fingers slackened. Usagi could feel the presence at her side before she turned to see her savior. "You really didn't think I'd let her come here to see you alone, did you? Bastard."

"Kyou," the blonde placed her hand on his arm, and when his attention diverted to her, she shook her head softly. Reluctantly, Kyou released Akito and stepped closer to Usagi. "Akito, please don't make this difficult. Please let me go."

His dark eyes took her in; the red rimmed azure eyes that used to smile for him, her pale hands clutching onto Kyou's arm, the faint signs of fading bruises along her cheek. In that moment of clarity, the epiphany came, like a wave crashing over him. Kyou had not stolen her away; he had been pushing her all this time. Kyou only saw the side that he had not acknowledged, and fell in love with her completely.

What did he actually know about Usagi? Their relationship never had trust. He'd been indifferent to her most of the time, and harsh a great deal of the rest. _You say you love me, but the way you treat me says the opposite_. The words hit him like a physical blow, ones that had fell from her rosy lips only moments before.

_I'm sorry_. Akito could not bring himself to say it. He only watched that crown of golden blonde walk away from him, knowing it was his fault.

**xXx**

"And so, with a great deal of sorrow, we lay to rest a woman who touched the lives of all she knew. Rest in peace Ikuko Tsukino." As the eulogy ended, Usagi felt a slew of mixed emotions course through her. The confusion of mind kept her from crying anymore, at least. She held on to Kyou's hand, knowing he was there as he had been. He'd scarcely left her side since the day at the hospital.

People filtered by her, some stopping to offer condolences, others trying to avoid her eye. Neither really registered, the world spun by in a blur of reality her conscious self could not digest. She thought of her mother's words,_I want you to be free of me_, and what they really meant. There were so many questions in her heart, and the fact that she could never ask them, that hurt her most of all.

Her blue eyes stopped on the congregated four near the exit, and her expression softened into a near smile, the closest she could muster. The one closest to the door looked up suddenly, and her intense violet eyes crinkled into a soft smile, a reassurance. It was all the gesture the blonde needed. Tugging Kyou with her, she walked forward to meet them.

"Hey guys." The other three looked up, their heads jolting upward in simultaneous movement that might have made Usagi laugh. "I want you all to meet Kyou. Kyou, these are my best friends from high school." As she named them, she pointed to each in turn, "Rei Hino, Minako Aino, Makoto Kino, and Ami Mizuno."

"So this is the new one, eh?" Rei spoke first, always blunt and to the point. Kyou shifted uncomfortably under her haughty stare, and Usagi felt her lips quirk with a suppressed grin.

"He's way better, Usa. I know these things, you know." Minako nodded matter-of-factly, winking to her fellow blonde. She shook her head in amusement, glancing over to the nervous male beside her.

"He looks like my old--" Makoto didn't get to finish, the whole group of women groaned in exasperation. She blinked her emerald eyes a few times, asking, "What? What did I say?"

"You look good, Usagi. I'm glad you're finally happy." Ami smiled softly, and Usagi almost broke down right there. She let the four of them pull her into a group hug without protest.

"You better keep in touch this time, Meatball Head." Rei scolded as the two made to leave. Kyou quirked an eyebrow at the nickname, but Usagi waved him off, assuring the ebony haired woman that she definitely would.

Before they made it to the car, Usagi heard someone calling her name, and turned into the full on embrace of someone she knew rather well. Over the brunette crop of hair she spotted Yuki Sohma following behind. The two cousins shared a slightly hostile look before the silver haired male turned his attention to the two women.

"Thank you so much, Usagi, for everything." The woman whispered, low enough so that only the blonde could hear. "I'm so sorry about Ikuko. I'll miss her so much."

"You're welcome Tohru." Usagi gently broke away from the hug, offering a smile as Tohru wiped at her tears. "Don't worry too much about it, I'm sure her and Kyoko are living it up right now." Tohru laughed softly at this, stepping back to Yuki's side. Azure eyes jumping between the two of them, she smiled again and said, "I'm glad it worked out for you two. Invite me to the wedding, okay?"

Usagi chuckled at the red that covered both of their faces before she pulled Kyou into the car with her and they drove away.

Later that evening, Usagi showed Kyou a picture of the girls from high school when she still sported two round buns on her head, and pouted when he started laughing.

**xXx**

Usagi slid the money across the counter and took the paper in her hands, gritting her teeth while the girl on the other side fluttered her eyelashes unabashedly at Kyou. He chuckled softly and placed a kiss on her lips, while the blonde gloated over the dejected look that now covered the girl's expression. Remembering her original purpose, Usagi unfolded the newspaper.

**Kyon Corps Goes Global**

_Since the recent success of the three way product, Kyon Corps, the company run by Kyou Sohma, has been taking off at mind boggling speeds. Despite the growing rumors of hostility between the Sohma cousins, nothing could stop the growing popularity of their recent endeavors. Now, with his credibility at its highest, Kyou Sohma is taking Kyon Corps to the next level._

"_Everyone assumes I am trying to follow in my cousins shoes. It would be an honor to achieve that level of accomplishment, but for now I have my own goals, and I've simply taken the first step to making those a reality." The young CEO claimed in our latest interview, showing a much more calm and collected side than he did at a recent press conference. _

_Yet rumors are abound that the young business mogul is engaged and due to marry soon. Kyou refrained any comment when asked about it, preferring to keep his personal life separate from his professional, even after his rival Yuki Sohma announced his engagement to Tohru Honda earlier this week._

_For now, everything is looking up for Kyou Sohma, and the future of Kyon Corps just keeps getting brighter and brighter._

Usagi ended her recital of the article and folded the paper once more, smiling up at her love. "I'm so proud of you, Kyou." Standing on her tiptoes, she brought their lips together briefly, and broke away still smiling. "Come on, now. We still have one more stop."

**xXx**

_Dear Mama,_

_As you get older, feelings change. I learned that as a little girl. I learned it all over again with my first boyfriend. Year after year, the simple, bitter truth of it haunts me. Sometimes it is a wild lust that slowly dies, and sometimes it's something only one of two people feels. Sometimes it is just never there at all, but you keep pretending because everyone else is expecting it._

_When I wake up in the middle of the night, in cold sweat, I know this to be hard, bitter fact. But I also know it can change, and that's why I've done this one selfish thing. _

_The things I gave up, the things I've done for you I will never regret. I loved you more than anything, and I would do it all again, a million times over. My life might have been a lie, but I always did what was necessary. There's always that grim satisfaction in knowing what you're capable of._

_I sometimes wonder how you felt when I would show up. What did you think of me? Were you proud of me even if I was despicable? Were you ever grateful or did you just resent me for what I had or hate me for taking pity? Because, I always did take pity, even though I know it was the thing you hated the most._

_Even so, all that time I admired you. You were so, so strong all the time. You were strong when I was weak, even if it seemed like the opposite to me then. I don't think, if we had switched places, I could have handled your situation at all. I wonder if you could've done the things I've done._

_Still, looking at it now, I feel stronger than ever. I credit you for that._

_Maybe you were grateful for what I did, but I could never tell by the look on your face. It hurts to think the person you admire most may look at you in the opposite light. It will never hurt as much as losing you. It will never hurt me as much as standing there watching you drift away._

_You were always drifting out of my reach. I was always gone. No one said life was easy._

_I've lived with this for a long time. I've given to this for a long time. We've never been perfect. I'll always love you. No matter what._

_So I ask you not to hate me. Remember, it was all for you. Always. _

Usagi placed the folded letter on the grave, swiping at her tears haphazardly. As she returned to her full height, she felt Kyou's arms wrap around her from behind. She leaned into his chest, smiling softly.

"Do you think she'd be happy over what I did? Or would she hate me?" The blonde questioned softly, memories of Ikuko dancing through her mind. Kyou kissed her neck softly, and she relished in his warmth, letting it comfort her.

"She wanted you to be happy. She would be glad that you did something for yourself, for once." He assured her, and she nodded, satisfied.

"I think you're right."

"Besides, you took care of Shingo, just like you promised." He added.

"Well, that was mostly you." Usagi chided, smiling as he kissed her neck again.

"I love you, Usagi."

"You and your timing," she prodded, giggling. Then she turned to face him, and said, "I love you too, Kyou."

They walked from the cemetery, hand in hand, their whole lives before them.

_Love,_

_Usagi_

**The End**

Ahh, it's over. -sob- I told you that last chapter underwent revision, but this one had a complete overhaul! It turned out much better, much more, eh, final. Though I didn't get the response I might have expected from this story, it doesn't matter so much because I enjoyed writing it. I appreciate the reviews I did receive, and thank in advance those who review this now that it's complete.

For those of you who though Akito gave up too quickly, I realized the beginning of this chapter should've ended last chapter. Of course, that epiphany came too late, so I couldn't fix it, but hopefully it seems a bit more resolved now? I hope.

Also, briefly, sorry for the length of time it took to release this chapter. I got caught up in some real world mess. Please review!

♥SachiNyoko♥


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